Eight writers in four states and on three continents talking about what it takes to make a great story.

Menu

Kat: The Interview Series

My recent two part interview with Jeanne Oates Estridge has spurred my appetite for motivation (and hope) from other writers. So today begins a series of interviews with authors in various stages of their careers. On-the-cusp of success, newly published, working on a series, and first up, an author who managed to reach the pinnacle of success (NYT Best Seller).

Barbara Kingsolver has written over ten books (which may not seem like much, but she’s definitely a quality vs. quantity kind of writer). She’s hit the NYT Best Seller list (multiple times) which makes her an expert in my view.

So sit back and enjoy. Here’s Kingsolver on:

Writing Process: This is an excellent (short at 3:24 minutes) interview from 2013 with Kingsolver on her writing process (“my first drafts are full of clunkiness”).

Being a Writer: Three and a half minutes on her personal backstory (“I really didn’t believe being a writer could happen to me”.)

Characters: A younger and less eloquent Kingsolver talking about specifically combining fictional and real life characters (4:32 minutes).

Next week I intend to feature an author who has just recently been published for the first time. I haven’t chosen anyone in particular yet. Any suggestions?

You have really good taste, Kat, so I trust whoever you want to hear more from. (-: I do request that you stay away from Neil Gaiman, because he’s MINE!! (No, actually, anything you find and want to share on Gaiman is great — because there’s plenty of Gaiman to go around.)

I haven’t read anything new in quite awhile — in fact, I’m reading Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time right now, so anything you come up with will be fresh for me! Smart Bitches might be a place to go for inspiration.

The only new thing I know about that I’m quite interested in is that “Welcome to Night Vale” (you know, the podcast?) is coming out with a first book that they are plugging on the podcast. And it’s really interesting — there’s enough interest generated from the podcast that they hit top-ten preorder lists on Amazon and Amazon.UK seven months before their book comes/came out. (I’m garbling this because I’m in a rush — but if Night Vale isn’t really in your wheelhouse, let me know. I could do something about this.) The whole Night Vale business model is pretty interesting from a casual, outside perspective. Shops, live shows, donations, monthly scheduled donations, and now the book.

I adore it, but it’s one of those shows where you don’t think it will be everyone’s cup of tea. The listener must take an active part in doing the heavy lifting — one description goes, “The man who was not tall said to the man who was not short . . . .” Which brings to mind Laurel and Hardy, for me. Also, if you already hear bumps and thumps in the night — maybe not a good idea to indulge! If I had to stick it in a genre, I’d put it in the “subtle horror” genre. Although it does have a romance at its core, driving the action. (Cecil and Carlos! Sigh.)

Like I said, I don’t think it’s everyone’s cup of tea . . . but it’s gotten hugely popular, so maybe existential dread done well IS everyone’s cup of tea. It’s number 22 on the iTunes podcast chart this week, which isn’t bad.

I think their business model is really fascinating, too. There’s definitely more than one creative genius behind all of this — just too much work for one author. I think they might be some sort of co-op. Possibly.